What is chick lit?

• A literary genre that features books written by women and focusing on young, quirky, female protagonists (Wordspy)
• Breezy novels that are perky, witty or playful (Alyson Ward)
• Fiction that represents the lives of twenty and thirty something women (Chicago Public Library )
• Female-centered fiction focusing on romance, careers, and social life (my definition)

Selected chick lit fiction

Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada.
Girl gets a dream job at a fashion magazine and works for the boss from hell.

Candice Bushnell, Trading Up, Sex and the City, 4 Blondes
These books cover the social & sexual lives of New Yorkers.

Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Becky shops too much, overspends, and finds romance.

Jennifer Weiner, Good in Bed, In Her Shoes
Strong women who need to figure something out

Nina Kilham, How to Cook a Tart
A successful, overweight cookbook writer gets the ultimate revenge on her husband's skinny mistress.

Laura Zigman, Animal Husbandry
A woman who books talent for a talk show is dumped by her coworker and develops an evolutionary theory of male sexual behavior.

Rita Ciresi, Pink Slip
Young woman has an affair with coworker

Anna Maxted, Getting Over It, Running in Heels, Behaving Like Adults

Jane Green, Jemima J : A Novel About Ugly Duckings and Swans, Bookends, Mr. Maybe, Straight Talking

Allison Pearson, I Don't Know How She Does It: The Life of Kate Reddy, Working Mother.
Woman tries to balance a demanding career with motherhood

Emma McGlaughlin & Nicola Kraus, The Nanny Diaries

Michelle Cunnah, 32AA

Annie Flannagan, Love and a Bad Hair Day

Shari Shattuck, Loaded

Wendy French, sMothering
Daughter finds out way too much about her parents

Chris Burks, Silkydreamgirl
An African American woman in a bad marriage discovers internet chat rooms.

Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Elizabeth Buchan, Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman, The Good Wife Strikes Back
Middle-aged women facing change

Lorna Landvik, Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons, Patty Jane's House of Curl, Welcome to the Great Mysterious, The Tall Pine Polka, Your Oasis on Flame Lake
Set in Minnesota, featuring enduring strong women

Sarah Mlynowski, Milkrun, Fishbowl, As Seen on TV

Linda Lenhoff, Life a la Mode

Lisa Kusel, Other Fish in the Sea
10 connected short stories

Jill Davis, Girls Poker Night

Victoria Lancelotta, Here in the World: 13 Stories, Far

Merrill Markoe, It's My F---ing Birthday!

Hannah McCouch, Girl Cook
Set in the New York restaurant scene

Melissa Bank, Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Connected literary short stories--very well-written

Marian Keyes, Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, Sushi for Beginners, Rachel's Holiday, Watermelon, Last Chance Saloon, Angels

Comments? Additions to list?
Email me.

Created by Sarah Andrews
Page last updated January 12, 2004
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